The Rangers close out the decade in Edmonton taking on the Oilers. Tonight is Game 2 of New York's four-game Canada road trip, with Calgary and Vancouver to follow. As the NY Post noted, the Rangers haven’t played four straight games in Canada since October 2011. In addition, the franchise hasn’t had a home game on New Year’s Eve since 1989. The latter makes sense given the nightmare that is commuting and Times Square, in addition, as pointed out to me in the comments, concerts - especially Phish lately - are held at MSG, making the probability of a home game on New Year's Eve in the future somewhat remote.
Happy New Years to all. To bring in full circle, here is my first blog from 2010. Shows how long the 10 years really are based on the names in the blog: https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=25265
Decade in Review from AJ Castiglia:
What a ride this past decade was - Thanks for all the memories @NYRangers 🔴⚪🔵 pic.twitter.com/6sh5sSqQ8q
— AJ Castiglia (@ajcastigliaa) December 31, 2019
Larry Brooks covered the trade deadline and decisions New York, especially GM Jeff Gorton, has in front of them. His views mirror several of ours. I have bolded the key pieces and provided my views below.
It is not scripture that pending free agent Chris Kreider must be sent away in a deal for futures. It is not etched in stone that pending restricted free agents Ryan Strome and Tony DeAngelo, both salary arbitration eligible, must be traded because their numbers are too good.There are 23 games before the deadline hits. This will provide more than enough time for the Blueshirts to declare themselves as legit playoff contenders — or not — and more than enough evidence for management to proceed. There really is no telling which way it is going to go, because for almost every defensive lapse or foolish puck-management decision, there is superior goaltending or a play by Artemi Panarin or Mika Zibanejad to twist things around.
You tell me. If the Rangers remain in the race for eighth but nevertheless move out a handful of their most productive players because of looming cap issues and/or adherence to a rebuild philosophy, you tell me how that is going to play with Panarin or with Zibanejad or with Henrik Lundqvist or Marc Staal … or with a fan base that has embraced the program but should not have to endure a third consecutive deadline purge.
The future may not be now, and it almost certainly is not. But it sure won’t arrive anytime soon if there is constant turnover and if every veteran who reaches a free agent crossroads is summarily dismissed. The Rangers have a choice. The Rangers have choices.
They do not have to trade Kreider. They do not have to trade Strome or DeAngelo. They do not have to break up the Kreider-Zibanejad combination on one line and the Strome-Panarin combination on another unit that have created power-matchup dilemmas for opposing coaches. They do not have to move DeAngelo as he grows into one of the most proficient right-side, blue-line, offensive forces in the NHL.
For draft picks? For assets who might turn into something in three years or four or five? The Rangers have all of their own picks over the next three drafts other than next year’s second-rounder that went to Carolina in the Adam Fox deal. They have an extra third next year from Dallas (Mats Zuccarello), an extra third in 2021 from Buffalo (Jimmy Vesey) and an extra fourth in 2021 from Ottawa (Vladislav Namestnikov).
For prospects? The Rangers have their kids up here and they have Vitali Kravtsov coming, they have Yegor Rykov and Nils Lundkvist, they have K’Andre Miller and Morgan Barron and Zachary Jones and Matthew Robertson and Nico Gross on the rise. They have a pipeline flowing to Broadway. There is no urgency to trade younger veterans for more of them. This is not about five years from now. It’s about next year and the year after and maybe the year after that. It’s foolish to go more than three years out, and especially when you consider that Zibanejad’s contract is going to be up following 2021-22.
Kreider is a culture-driver. Lundqvist almost certainly will be gone after next season. Staal will be gone, too. Their absences will create gigantic voids in the room. So would the removal of Kreider, to whom the kids flock for advice and look up to. There is an added value to that.
There is added value to keeping Strome, who at 26 is channeling the talent and persistence that made him the fifth-overall pick in the 2011 draft, selected by the Islanders a slot before the Senators tabbed Zibanejad. There is added value in keeping DeAngelo, who has taken his game and attitude to another level.
There is added value whether the Rangers remain in the playoff hunt or not.
Now, it is not going to be easy. There are real cap challenges to tackle. The Rangers probably cannot keep Kreider if Brady Skjei remains with the club. So: Kreider or Skjei? They probably cannot keep Strome if Pavel Buchnevich is still here. So: Buchnevich or Strome? And they probably are going to have to pull off a trick or two to keep DeAngelo on a roster that includes either Skjei or Staal, and it is difficult to envision a left side without both of them next year.
Gorton does not have an easy decision. beyond just the names above, as this filters into how he handles the goaltending situation and Igor Shesterkin. If the last two trade deadlines were important for franchise in terms of revamping the pipeline, this season is critical for the path forward not just for the future but also for the here and now. The here and the now may be just as important as the future.
Each decision drives another decision. If CK20 remains, what does that do to Pavel Buchnevich? The same can be said on if the organization retains Strome, as Brooks said, similar to ADA and Skjei. All of this is also based on the salaries that would need to be allocated for each. Can you get Strome for a two-year deal, based on arbitration, at around $5 million rather than $6 million? Even if so, is that a wise use of cap space? To me, it is, regards of if you believe Strome's spike is shooting percentage driven or due to skating on a line with Panarin.
With Kreider, the leadership aspect can't be overlooked. In addition, while we don't see it often enough, he can play a physical game. Loop in his net front presence on the PP and a fair deal for both sides, especially if Kreider wants to stay in NY, might be a passable option for all parties. But as seen below from Elliotte Friedman, Kreider is drawing and will draw a ton of interest leading up to the trade deadline. Right now, New York has the Kreider-Zibanejad combination on one line and the Strome-Panarin on the other. Maybe Filip Chytil and Kappo Kakko is the duo on a third line. The hope is that Vitali Kravtsov is ready to join one of the three pairings next season, leaving two, top-nine to be filled, depending on what happens with Buchnevich.
DeAngelo's status may depend on Skjei. Jacob Trouba is more than likely going nowhere. so for those mentioning this on the blog, cease and desist. Skjei will be harder to move, and if he doesn't go, then Staal must go to create space for ADA. Even with the pipeline of blueliners in the system, DeAngelo's offensive skills are needed and warrant a space in New York. But that may be on a short-term deal, rather than a long-term one and boy do we wish the team signed him for two years rather than one this past offseason.
Gorton does hold the cards here. Hopefully he and JD have the vision on how to proceed forward. Stay the course, keep the players mentioned above or deal them for assets for now and the future. you know my take, what's yours?
Elliotte Friedman's 31 Thoughts:
Lots and lots of interest in Chris Kreider, no decision yet from the Rangers. “Lots of time,… one source said. Again, look at their history. Marc Staal’s last contract was signed on Jan. 18, 2015. In 2014, they signed Dan Girardi on Feb. 28. They took Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello down to the wire last year. There’s a lot of interest — believed to include contenders who might be happy to wait for cap reasons (Boston, St. Louis) and others who aren’t worried about that (Colorado). There’s plenty of speculation about Montreal, as the Canadiens could use some beef, but Kreider’s partial no-trade affects that.
This was discussed above. Monitor the market and where the team stands as the deadline approaches. Factor in what Kreider expects in free agency. Then make a decision. If a team is willing to grossly overpay, then probably deal CK20. If not, then keep him.
Lias Andersson has gone back to Sweden. It remains to be seen if the Rangers loan him to a local team, as Edmonton’s done with Jesse Puljujarvi. (Can’t hurt to have him playing.) The Oilers have taken a tough stance with their winger, as has Dallas with Julius Honka. Like Andersson, they are young former first-rounders, and, in trade talks, are being treated as such. New York is following that path.
New York holds all the cards. They own his rights and will for the next several seasons. He is waiver exempt and making little money. If Lias had stayed in Hartford and played well, the injury to Brendan Lemieux likely would have opened a spot for him in NY. In addition, as spelled out in the NY Post the other day (see directly below), the Rangers do need a fourth line center; a role that Andersson could have locked up.
But there was no Lias Andersson, the No. 7-overall pick in 2017, having been suspended after leaving AHL Hartford following his trade request. Vitali Kravtsov, the 2018 No. 9-overall pick, returned from Russia but is playing wing for the Wolf Pack. The top two centers for Hartford on Saturday were two quadruple-A players — Danny O’Regan and Boo Nieves. The most promising center in the pipeline is Morgan Barron, the big-bodied Cornell junior projected as a reliable bottom-six power (though he may be more of a wing than a center).Despite the Rangers still having one of the best pools of young players in the NHL, the situation down the middle has not exactly panned out the way they thought.
Brett Howden is showing that he is better at wing. Greg McKegg is serving as the fourth line center but can also play wing. McKegg has filled the role ably, as Boo Nieves, either by deployment or lack of opportunity, hasn't been able to lock down a spot. But, McKegg could have been moved to wing with Andersson at center, lengthening the lineup. With Andersson having little leverage. let him cool his heels, hopefully come to his senses and come back to the US.
With Korpisalo injured, the NHL needs a Metropolitan All-Star replacement. I’d ask Henrik Lundqvist, considering he always seems to have a great time. He clearly likes it. Or, why not go Jarry? Someone said to me that you can’t be sure he’s Pittsburgh’s true number one, but who cares? He’s having a terrific year, and he’d probably be thrilled to go. Have to think Markstrom gets Darcy Kuemper’s spot in the Pacific.
Would be a nice honor for Lundqvist but more appropriate next season, since he has one more year on his contract. Lundqvist doesn't really deserve the spot but he does a great job of publicizing the game and would brighten the All-Star Game. I could see Jarry getting that spot, maybe as a Guentzel replacement, with then a forward, maybe Zib filling the Guenzel spot. If not Jarry, Semyon Varlamov could replace Korpisalo.